We use cookies on this website, including web analysis cookies. By using this site, you agree that we may store and access cookies on your device. You have the right to opt out of web analysis at any time. Find out more about our cookie policy and how to opt out of web analysis.

Excessive drinking is the main cause of high
male mortality rates, but the problem can be addressed

Elevator pitch

Eastern European countries, particularly former
Soviet Union economies, traditionally have the highest rates of alcohol
consumption in the world. Consequently, they also have some of the highest
male mortality rates in the world. Regulation can be effective in
significantly decreasing excessive drinking and its related negative
effects, such as low labor productivity and high rates of mortality.
Understanding the consequences of specific regulatory measures and what
tools should be used to combat excessive alcohol consumption is essential
for designing effective policies.

Key findings

Pros

Price regulation in the market for
alcohol has a significant effect on alcohol consumption.

When there are constraints to
policy, measures to promote the substitution of spirits for less
harmful drinks have a positive effect.

The presence of peer effects
multiplies the effectiveness of policy.

Policy that targets young adults can
be particularly effective in preventing habitual alcohol
consumption from developing.

Cons

Strict regulation may be politically
costly, particularly for populist politicians.

Strict regulation may force people
to switch to homemade and surrogate alcohol, which can have even
more harmful effects.

No studies have been conducted on
the causal effect of an increase in the price of alcohol on the
consumption of homemade and surrogate alcohol.

Establishing the causal effect of
excessive drinking on mortality is difficult.

There is mixed evidence of a causal
effect of excessive drinking on labor productivity for
women.

Author's main message

Excessive alcohol consumption in many Eastern
European countries leads to high mortality rates among men and has a
negative effect on labor productivity. Various regulatory measures, such as
taxation, sales restrictions, licensing, advertisement control, and drinking
age limits, have been effective in lowering alcohol consumption.
Over-regulation, however, may lead to a rise in the consumption of homemade
and surrogate alcohol. When there are political constraints to regulation,
policies that encourage the substitution of spirits for safer drinks can be
very effective. Policies that target the younger generation, when habits are
formed, can also have beneficial long-term consequences, as a result of peer
influence and other spillover effects.